A lack of data-sharing between departments is hindering cross-government working, according to a new report by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
The report said that many cross-government projects are hindered by missing or inadequate data. Areas named in the report include the criminal justice system and tracking net zero investment.
However, the PAC said it has repeatedly reported on “the impact of poor IT, with extreme complexity and inconsistency a feature of data systems across government.”
The report notes that difficulties with data sharing, due to technical issues or departmental unwillingness to do so, has been identified by the government as the main barrier to cross-government working.
“So many important government projects are dependent on Whitehall working in harmony with itself. Yet so often difficulties with cross-government working are precisely what is hindering these projects and the benefits for citizens. While departments are rightly focused on their own policy areas, complex societal issues cannot be solved in departmental silos,” said Dame Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the Committee.
Cross-cutting outcomes
The PAC said the government must “take a firm grip in facilitating and improving cross-government working,” and to learn from the barriers that prevent it.
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The report finds that it is not always clear which departments are involved in delivering policies which cut across departmental boundaries. Cross-cutting outcomes covering major policy areas including net zero, health and social care, and levelling up are not consistently reported on by government, and the PAC says the Cabinet Office should more clearly publish these kinds of cross-cutting outcomes and progress made against them.
Initial steps have been taken to evaluate optimal cross-government working, but the PAC has called on HM Treasury to use its influence to go further. For example, by only approving business cases for proposed projects that clearly demonstrate a link to the relevant cross-cutting aim they support, and contain appropriate plans for evaluation, and detail on what cross-government outcomes and outputs should be delivered.
“Both the Treasury and Cabinet Office have made good progress in naming the problem by identifying the barriers preventing good working across government,” said Hillier. “The government must now continue the process of toppling these barriers. We hope the recommendations in our report help it to do so.”
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